Crisis leadership? Or leadership crisis?

The question of the day was properly blunt: Do we have a leadership crisis in America?

No surprise at the results, given the turmoil in the economy, the downward trend in Afghanistan, and a president whose job approval ratings, at 26% in the new ABC News poll, were lower than any president save Richard M. Nixon and Harry S. Truman.

Still, some of the comments in the survey by Politico.com's Arena page were particularly interesting, from both sides of the political spectrum.

David Marin, Republican strategist:

It’s a crisis that includes a profound lack of imagination, initiative, courage, credibility and authority. But don’t blame elected leaders only. Blame also belongs with the media and voters who don’t reward these things, and more often than not actually punish them.

Former Republican Rep. Jim Leach of Iowa:

From the arts, sciences and every field of academia to business, agriculture, and non-governmental organizations, America has never had greater leadership. Society’s singular leadership exception today is politics where the existence of wondrous institutional arrangements has papered over frail abilities of electoral actors.

Robert B. Reich, the secretary of Labor in the Clinton administration:

The financial crisis couldn't have come at a worse time. The President is worse than a lame duck; he's fundamentally disabled.

Will Durst (identified as "Official Arena Comedian"):

Thomas Jefferson said America gets the leaders it deserves, which leads me to believe that we must have been a very naughty nation recently.

For the full collection, check out the Arena page at Politico.com.

-- James Gerstenzang

Photo: Kristoffer Tripplaar / Getty Images

Comments

[jon]

whether it is leadership crisis or crisis leadership...america needs a strong leader, a man of vision, a man with knowledge and wisdom...a man of vast experience...and that is JOHN MCCAIN....